Is this how the dream of these young, energetic, vibrant, ambitious and ever-ready-to-learn pupils would become a mirage? A young girl of age 11-year-old who has the zeal and passion to become a great person in the nearest future lamented how sad she always feels any time rain falls and when the scourging sun comes out. She expressed her displeasure towards the current condition of her school. The young girl felt reluctant to respond to questions, as brilliant as she is, she reacted as if nothing good could be done to change the narrative
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Adeshola Ester, a primary six pupil said, “My parents are into trading. My mother is planning to be selling Charcoal and palm oil. My parents are always in support of ensuring that I get quality education. Although they’re not rich, they are very supportive. Whenever, I am in school especially early in the morning, I always feel cold because we have been learning under the tree. We couldn’t make use of our classroom because it doesn’t have roof and windows.

“This is how we have been learning for more than 3 months. Each time rain starts falling, the Headteacher will tell us to go home. We couldn’t wait in the rain because our clothes will be wet. So, we usually run home. We are not always happy when the rain falls, because we know it will definitely affect that day’s class activities.”

Another pupil who wants to become a teacher cried out to the government to come to their aid. He narrated how they used to learn under the trees where there is nothing to cover them come rain and sun.

Soliu Quadir, who lives very close to the school, said, “My parents are into trading. My ambition is to become a teacher and impart knowledge to the younger ones. I plead with the government to as a matter of urgency help us repair our school.”

The state of Eyenkorin Budo Oke L.G.E.A School is quite deplorable. The school has three buildings, one was built by the government, the second was built by an NGO in 2005, and the last one, still under construction, is a community self-funded project.

However, findings revealed that the roof of the classroom built by the government was blown away by windstorm early this year. And since March 1, the pupils have been learning in this poor and unconducive environment. Although, the community leaders in the area and the headteacher of the school said they have written to the state government on many occasions but they haven’t received any positive response from the government.

Nothing is good to write about the school. Many of the pupils sit on the bare floor, there is little or no seat that could accommodate all the pupils. What this school needs at the period is complete renovation as well as provision of learning materials.

In fact, it was a rainy day when our correspondent visited the school. One of the school officials who pleaded not to be named confirmed to us that we were so lucky to still see very few of the pupils around as the majority of them had left to their various homes. It was on a Tuesday morning when the pupils were expected to be in class but unfortunately, these young pupils were deprived of qualitative education as a result of the dilapidated infrastructure in their school.

This sole act that deprived these little children right to quality education is not in conformity with the agenda of SDG 4 which centered on the provision of quality and free education for all without any discrimination or exception.

The goal aims “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.”

In a developing state like Kwara, children from the poorest households are up to four times more likely to be out of school than those of the richest households. The children who are from wealthy homes would not near such an environment where pupils hold classes under the trees. Also, the disparities between rural and urban areas remain high.

So, achieving inclusive and quality education for all, reaffirms the belief that education is one of the most powerful and proven vehicles for sustainable development. This goal ensures that all girls and boys complete free primary and secondary schooling. It also aims to provide equal access to affordable vocational training, to eliminate gender and wealth disparities, and achieve universal access to a quality higher education.

Aiming to ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes, it further offers provision for 12 years of free, publicly-funded, inclusive, equitable, quality primary and secondary education – of which at least nine years are compulsory, leading to relevant learning outcomes – should be ensured for all, without discrimination.

The education facility of Budo Oke LGEA is nothing to write about. The environment is not safe for the pupils. The pupils are exposed to intense cold, which may result in serious ailments if something is not urgently done to it. Also, the little kid lives are likely endangered to onslaught, snake bites and others because they receive classes in an open field.Inside Kwara primary school where classes hold under trees
The fourth goal aims to build and upgrade education facilities that are child, disability and gender sensitivity and provide safe, non-violent, inclusive and effective learning environments for all.

This target addresses the need for adequate physical infrastructure and safe, inclusive environments that nurture learning for all, regardless of background or disability status.

At present, the teachers working at Budo Oke LGEA School is enough and obviously qualified, this meanwhile stays in conformity with the goal that calls for substantially increased supply of qualified teachers, including through international cooperation for teacher training in developing countries, especially least developed countries and small island developing States.

However, despite the presence of enough teachers, they expressed concern about the deplorable state of the school’s infrastructure. One of the teachers, while speaking to our correspondent, revealed that whenever it rains, they usually hang around, which he opined will hinder the primary objective of passing knowledge to students. “No student will be focused and serious under this type of learning condition,” he expressed bitterly.

In an interview with the head of the Parent Teachers Association, PTA, Alhaji Solihu Ayinla, he expressed with bitterness obvious in his voice, “This has been a yearly experience. This school was built over 15 years ago. Since then, this is the one classroom the government has provided. It is with the help of an NGO that will have another classroom which was built in 2005. We have written to the state government, they keep on promising, but up till today, we haven’t seen them. We are still using this opportunity to implore the government to come to our aid.

“Since, the first rain started, that was when the pupils have been learning under the trees. Immediately rain falls you will see them going back home because there is no where they can stay. With the little we have done, we have spent up to N300,000, it remains planks to do the roofing. But we have exhausted our efforts. This is the major problem we are now facing in our school; may God help us.”

One of the community leaders when contacted, said, “There is no need to say much. As you can see this is the building we built by ourselves with the help of other community members. And this is where we have stopped because we don’t have enough resources to complete it. There is a structure the government had built for us over 30 years ago and since then, there are no additional blocks.

“As big as our community is, it ridiculous and sad to say we don’t have a standard primary school, talk less of secondary school. Not having these two belittle us in this community. Since the roof of this school was blown away, we have been looking for support from the government, and even wealthy individuals who could help us renovate the school.

“The land that we reserve for the school as an extension, from there some people will still want to take some portions from it because we haven’t built anything on it. If in my tenor as the community head, I have the good mind to leave the land, another person may not have that mind to leave when it comes to his reign. It is not possible for us to have the same mindset. If the person insisted he wanted to use 2 plots out of the land, there is nothing we can do about that. The way we have been monitoring the land is not easy. May God help us fulfill our intentions on the land so that we can achieve our aims at the end by making sure our children have access to quality education.”

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Where is lie Mohammed? , but is like the man has gone on strike, it has been long I heard from him abi he dey sick ni